You Got Game?
by RavynRose
Summary: Chyan ChadRyan Slash. Be warned. What happens AFTER I Don't Dance? Kind of strays from the movie.
1. Chapter 1

**You Got Game?**

Ryan Evans smiled as he walked away from Chad Danforth, pleased that he had got to play with one of the Wildcats.

"You did great, Ryan!" Gabriella exclaimed, running up and giving him a tight hug.

He hugged her back, still smiling brightly.

"Come on, let's celebrate!" Gabriella suggested, linking hands with him and pulling him into the bleacher area, where a few tables were set up with the usual ballpark foods on them.

Ryan sat down at one of them, and was surprised when Chad sat down beside him.

"Hey." Ryan said shyly, reaching out and pulling one of the prepared hotdog plates towards him, just as Chad did the same.

For a second, Chad's hand rested on Ryan's, but it was the briefest of seconds, as Chad quickly pulled his hand away.

Ryan looked away, briefly, attempting to hide his blushing face.

"You call that a little game?" Chad asked, squeezing ketchup onto his own hot dog.

Ryan shrugged.

"Little...League...Baseball...Rhode Island..Championships." he admitted.

Chad chuckled, jokingly hitting him upside the head as Gabriella gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"You could use a few pointers, though. Your pitch is good, but your catch needs a little strengthening." Chad said, taking a bite of his hot dog, pulling Taylor McKinsee onto his lap.

Gabriella slid in next to Ryan and handed him a bottle of water, which he accepted graciously.

"You got moves in any other sport?" Chad asked as he finished off the last bite of his hot dog.

Ryan only shrugged.

"I'd like to say I'm good at golf, but it's actually quite the opposite." he replied.

Chad glanced towards Gabriella, who nodded at him, and then glanced back towards Ryan.

"How about basketball? I was supposed to play a two-on-two game with Troy, but he ditched." Chad asked.

Ryan laughed.

"Basketball? No. That is one sport I could _never_ play." he replied, laughing heartily.

"Come on. I bet I could show you a few moves." Chad offered.

Ryan's expression became thoughtful.

"I could deal with that." he said softly.

Chad smiled, going to stand.

"Good. Meet me at the staff hoop area in an hour. You're _so_ on." he said, linking hands with Taylor and disappearing out of the dugout.

Ryan let out a sigh, questioning his choice to follow Chad onto the basketball court.

"You'll do fine." Gabriella said, as if reading his mind.

Ryan smiled timidly, looking down at his uneaten hot dog.

"Come on. I'll give you some pointers." Gabriella insisted, standing, and pulling Ryan along with her, almost dragging him out of the dugout.

Upon reaching the staff hoop area, Gabriella pointed towards the hoop.

"Now, Ryan, that is a hoop. You shoot the ball into it." she teased.

Ryan chuckled, poking Gabriella in the ribs.

"I know what a hoop is, Gabs." he shot back.

Gabriella only giggled further.

She went to the bench and grabbed the basketball that sat on top of it, tossing it towards Ryan, who caught it easily.

"Show me what you've got, Wildcat." Gabriella said, sitting down on the bench.

Ryan bit at his lower lip, turning to face the basketball hoop, stretching his arms out before him, tossing the ball into the air, and not even coming close to the hoop's rims.

Gabriella chuckled in the background.

Ryan gave her a glare as he scrambled to keep the ball from leaving the court.

When he stepped back into the center of the court, he found Gabriella standing there, holding out her hands, into which he let her have the basketball.

"Like this." she said, bending her knees slightly, holding her left hand against the basketball's left side, and her right hand facing outward, palm touching the ball, and shot it, making the hoop.

"Wow. Gabriella Montez, triple threat." Ryan said, catching the ball as it fell through the hoop.

Gabriella blushed as he threw her the ball.

"Come here. I'll show you how to shoot." she offered.

Ryan made his way over to her.

"Stand on the center line, here." Gabriella said, pointing to where the half court mark would be.

Ryan did just that, jumping as Gabriella placed her hands on the back of his knees.

"Bend your knees a little. There you go." she said, pulling back, wrapping her arms around him from behind, positioning in his hands.

"And all that's missing is the ball." she said, placing it in his positioned hands.

"Go for it, Ryan." Gabriella said, stepping back.

Ryan licked his lips before throwing the ball into the air, jumping with joy as it sailed through the hoop.

"I told you it was easy." Gabriella said with a wink, going to get the ball and tossing it back towards Ryan, who caught it and held it at his side.

Looking at Gabriella, Ryan found himself suddenly wanting to open up to her. He felt so comfortable around her, and that was something he had never felt. Sure, he had his sister, but opening up to Sharpay was like opening up to a brick wall.

"Hey, Gabriella? Can I ask you something?" Ryan asked, nodding towards the bench, letting the ball fall from his side to the cement.

Gabriella took his cue and followed him towards it, sitting down beside him.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Do you ever get the feeling that you're different than everyone else?" Ryan asked, avoiding eye contact with Gabriella.

Gabriella chuckled.

"All the time. I'm the mathlete, remember?" she replied.

Ryan bit at his lower lip before pushing further.

"Do you ever get the feeling that everyone knows something about you that you, yourself, don't know? Or, you know it, but you're afraid to admit it?" he questioned.

Gabriella raised her right eyebrow in question, reaching out and taking Ryan's hands into hers.

"If there's something you need to say, Ryan, I'm here. I'm listening." she promised.

Ryan closed his eyes as he felt Gabriella link their hands and give him an encouraging squeeze.

"I'm gay." he whispered.

When Gabriella didn't say anything, Ryan reluctantly opened his eyes, only to find Gabriella smilling at him.

"Feel better?" she asked.

Ryan let out a long sigh and then laughed.

"Yeah, I do, actually." he replied.

Gabriella let go of his hands and wrapped her arms aroud his neck, bringing him in for a hug, playing with the ends of his hair.

"Don't ever let anyone tell you it's not okay. You're no different than, say, Troy. You're just a man looking for love." she insisted, kissing him on the cheek before pulling back.

"Though, you're upsetting a _lot_ of girls." she teased.

Ryan snorted, giving her a friendly shove.

"You think I'm kidding? Ryan, you're hot! You could have any girl you wanted!" Gabriella exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah." Ryan said with a bashful blush.

"Practice some more shots before your game with Chad. And, Ryan? Don't let him intimidate you." Gabriella said as she stood.

Ryan looked up at her with confusion gleaming in his eyes.

"Just don't." Gabriella repeated, turning on her heels and heading into the Lava Springs doors.


	2. Chapter 2

Ryan stood, reaching out to the basketball, and bringing it to his chest, shooting from the bench, and making it. 

"Ryan, what are you doing out here?" his sister's voice came from behind him.

Startled, Ryan jumped, swinging around and catching himself.

"Did I just see you shoot a basketball?" Sharpay asked, resting her arms against her chest, giving Ryan a glare.

Ryan shrugged.

"So what if you did?" he asked.

Sharpay clicked her tongue against the inside of her left cheek.

"You're supposed to be watching the Wildcats. What if they're planning something, right now? And you aren't there to catch it?" she hissed, walking towards him, her heels clicking against the cement.

Ryan rolled his eyes.

"Shar, the world doesn't revolve around you." he shot back.

Sharpay's jaw dropped.

"Watch them, _Ry_. Just like I'll be watching _you_." she said, scoffing and pushing her way past Ryan and entering into the doors Gabriella had just entered.

Ryan looked towards the clock that his father had recently had Fulton place on the outside walls of the building and noticed that it was about time for Chad to make his appearance.

Swallowing deeply, Ryan closed his eyes and did a quick yoga-like-meditation.

"Yo, Evans!" Chad yelled, bringing Ryan back.

Ryan turned briskly to face Chad.

"Chad." he said in a way of greeting. He was startled when Chad held out his hand, expecting a hand shake.

Reluctantly, Ryan gripped Chad's right hand, admiring the strength and firmness.

"So, what do you know of the game?" Chad asked, kicking the ball towards Ryan, who bent over and brought it to his chest.

"I can shoot. " Ryan replied with a shrug.

Chad moved off the court and nodded towards Ryan, who gave his best shot, and missed.

Chad laughed as the ball rolled towards him.

"The point of shooting is to _make_ the shot, Evans." he joked, picking up the ball and tossing it back to Ryan.

"Give it another go." he offered.

Ryan shook his head, steadying himself, remembering how Gabby had positioned him, and shot, making it.

"There you go!" Chad exclaimed happily, catching the ball as it slipped through the hoop.

Chad made his way towards Ryan, stepping behind him.

"What are you doing?" Ryan asked meekly.

Chad laughed.

"Giving you some pointers. Your position was rather, girly, so to say. It's too loose. You need to be a bit stiffer." he replied, pushing the ball against Ryan's chest, a signal for Ryan to take it and hold it, which Ryan did.

"You want to push your knees forward, but not so much that it looks like you're about to pull a ballet move." Chad instructed, placing his hands against the back of Ryan's knees, pushing them forward slightly, but not as far as Gabriella had.

Chad smiled.

"Now, bring yourself into a bit of a straighter position. Don't slouch." he continued, placing his hand on Ryan's lower back and pushing him forward just a bit.

"And, lastly, place the ball in your hands like this." Chad finished, wrapping his palms around Ryan's arms and wrapping them around the basketball.

"Shoot." Chad said, pulling away.

Ryan let out a breath. He as stiff, all right, but not where Chad had intended.

Shaking his head, Ryan shot the ball, and made a perfect hoop.

"Wow." Ryan said, amazed.

"Do that, everytime, and you're certain to never miss the basket." Chad insisted, patting Ryan on the back.

Ryan quickly adjusted his position, straightening himself and shaking his head clear of all thoughts involving Chad's previous hand placements and body position.

"You okay, bro?" Chad asked as he sat down on the bench.

Ryan nodded.

"Fine." he squeaked, turning away as he began to blush brightly.

Chad raised his right eyebrow in question, but didn't push any further; he only signalled for Ryan to join him on the bench, to which Ryan declined.

"I don't bite, Ryan." Chad teased.

Ryan glared at him, letting out a sigh as he succombed and placed himself as far away from Chad as he could on the bench.

"So, tell me, why aren't you at practice with the Ice Queen?" Chad questioned, stretching his legs out on the bench, his feet landing inches from Ryan's right thigh.

Ryan swallowed deeply.

"Like I said, she wanted me to spy on you. She's worried that you'll try and upstage her and Troy in the Talent Show." he replied.

Chad shook his head.

"Does Gabriella know Troy plans on participating with Sharpay in this show?" he asked.

Ryan shrugged.

"I doubt it. That girl would kill Sharpay if she knew what all Sharpay's been attempting with Troy." he replied honestly.

Chad laughed.

"Like Taylor said, she's like an octopus with her tentacles, strangling Troy with her unrequited love." he joked.

Ryan laughed along with him.

"How _do_ you manage, living with her, I mean." Chad asked.

Ryan rolled his eyes, finally turning to face Chad.

"It's hard. Everyone thinks I'm her poodle. The only reason I follow her around is because," he began, swallowing before pushing forward, "she knows some things about me that she holds against me."

Chad let out a quiet growl.

"You shouldn't let her intimidate you, like that. You have so much potential, Evans." he insisted.

Ryan blushed again, smiling meekly.

"It's true! Admit it. You enjoyed the baseball game just as much as you enjoy Drama." Chad pushed.

Ryan chuckled.

"So, how's about being Ryan Evans for once in your life, and not Sharpay's Twin?" Chad inquired.

Ryan met his eyes.

"If only it were that easy. I just don't want the things she knows getting out to the world." he admitted.

Chad sighed.

"It can't be _that_ bad." he insisted.

Ryan rolled his eyes.

"If you knew, you'd understand." he said, standing, jumping when Chad reached out to his arm and pulled him back down onto the bench.

"Tell me, then." he whispered.

Ryan's eyes widened as he shook his head negatively.

"Tell me." Chad whispered again.

Ryan closed his eyes, picturing all the gruesomeness that would follow if he opened up to Chad.

"Ryan." Chad said softly, reaching under the Drama Kid's chin and bringing his eyes to level with his.

"I can't, Chad. I can't!" Ryan exclaimed, pushing Chad's arm away and stepping off the bench, running to the doors, grasping the handle and pulling it open.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ryan Evans!" Chad screamed after Ryan. 

Ryan glanced towards him and found that Chad had stood and was starting to make his way towards him.

"Chad, please don't." Ryan begged.

It was then Ryan lost all strength in himself.

He turned to Chad, slamming the door behind him.

"You want to know what I hide, do you? Fine. Here it goes. I'm gay." he screamed.

Chad didn't say anything, which worried Ryan, who immediately calmed down.

"Chad?" he said somberly.

Chad suddenly laughed, scaring Ryan.

"_That's_ your big secret? No offense, bro, but you're not really hiding it, well." he said.

Ryan looked at him with confusion gleaming in his eyes.

"Dude, your whole attire screams 'gay'. It's not just the pink, it's the matching. Ryan, your _shoes_ match your _hat_." Chad pointed out.

Ryan had to laugh at that.

Chad made his way to standing in front of Ryan and placed his hands on his shoulders.

"Freak out over?" he asked.

Ryan nodded.

Chad chucked Ryan underneath the chin playfully.

"Good. Because you were starting to scare me, Evans." he admitted.

He reached behind Ryan and pulled the door open, moving to the side to allow Ryan to step in before him.

"Just, don't tell anyone, Chad." Ryan pleaded as he tossed Chad an apple from the fruit cart.

Chad caught it and took a bite out of it.

"Sure thing, but you're going to have to tell them eventually. You can't let Sharpay be," he began, pausing as Sharpay stepped out behind Ryan, hands on her hips.

"Be what, Chad?" she asked.

Chad rolled his eyes, chewing softly on his apple.

"He's not your pet, Sharpay. He's not your toy. Give it up. It's over." he said, pulling Ryan out of the kitchen, ignoring the sound of Sharpay's heels clicking on the floor tile as she scurried after them.

Ryan turned on his heels and glowered at Sharpay.

"Stop it, Sharpay. Just stop it!" he exclaimed, shocking Chad and Sharpay, who paused midstep.

"Excuse me?" she hissed.

"Chad's right. I am _not_ yours to control." Ryan replied.

Sharpay chuckled.

"With the things I know, Ry, dear, I _own_ you." she shot back.

Chad stepped in front of Ryan, placing his arms, crossed, against his chest.

"And what do you know that I don't? That he likes drama? That he likes baseball? That he's _gay_?" he asked.

Sharpay's jaw dropped as she peered over Chad's shoulders into Ryan's eyes, which were laughing.

"You _told_ him?" she said through gritted teeth.

Ryan only smiled in response.

"Fine. You told one person," Sharpay began, but found herself interrupted.

"Two. Gabriella knows, too." Ryan said.

Sharpay only glared at Ryan before storming past him, shoving him into Chad, which caused Chad to fall against the stove top.

Ryan collected himself quickly, helping Chad to stand.

"Sorry about that." he said bashfully.

Chad shrugged.

"Not your fault, Ryan. Don't ever blame yourself for Sharpay's issues." he shot back.

Ryan nodded in understanding.

As he started to walk away, Chad called after him.

He stopped and held his head at an angle, signalling he was listening to Chad's words.

"You're not the only one with secrets, you know."

Ryan turned towards Chad, nodding in encouragement for him to continue.

"You're not the only one with a dark past that no one knows about." Chad continued on.


	4. Chapter 4

"Chad, you're not about to tell me you're gay, too, are you?" Ryan teased with a chuckle. 

Chad opened his mouth, but then quickly shut it.

"Chad?" Ryan pursued his lips together tightly.

"I can't say it. I've never been able to." Chad continued on.

Ryan quickly made his way to Chad, kneeling in front of him, doing as he did earlier, bringing his eyes to meet his.

"If I can say it, you can say it. Even if it's just to me." Ryan insisted.

Chad let out a sigh.

"Ryan, I'm gay." he said.

"I'm gay." he repeated himself.

Ryan smiled, letting go of Chad's chin.

"How long have you known, Ry?" Chad asked.

Ryan didn't even notice Chad's usage of his foreshortened name.

"Since I was 13." he replied.

"_How_ did you know?" Chad asked.

Ryan didn't reply.

"Ryan, don't go closing yourself on me, now." Chad chuckled.

"It was during gym class. When I," Ryan began, closing his eyes, "first saw you in the showers."

Chad's eyes widened.

"Wh-wh-wh," he stuttered.

"When I first saw you naked, in the showers." Ryan finished for him.

Chad found himself blushing, despite the creeped out feeling he got.

"Good to know I'm attractive." he teased.

Ryan chuckled, glad to have it out in the open.

Chad leaned against the countertop, resting himself on his shoulders.

"And for you?" Ryan asked.

Chad shrugged.

"I don't have a particular moment where it became clear." he replied.

Ryan nodded.

"But I guess, if we're being honest, I wouldn't be lying if I said you had something to do with it." Chad continued on.

Ryan let out a choked laugh.

"Pardon moi?" he questioned.

"Ryan, you're gorgeous. I always thought any girl would be lucky to have you." Chad said quietly.

"Me? Chad, I'm a pasty toothpick." Ryan exclaimed, throwing his hands out to the side.

Chad pulled himself away from the counter and poked Ryan in the ribs, into which Ryan giggled.

"That, Ryan, is muscle. You're not a toothpick. Pasty, maybe, but it's endearing on you." he pointed out.

Ryan raised his eyebrows in question.

"Not that I would know." Chad corrected himself, blushing.

After Ryan glowered at him, Chad chuckled.

"Fine! I peeked once during gym, okay?" he exclaimed.

Ryan grinned at him.

"Like what you saw?" he asked.

Chad licked his lips subconsciously.

"Can't say that I didn't." he replied, realizing that he had stepped closer towards Ryan, so close, that their foreheads were almost touching.

Ryan cocked his head to the side.

Suddenly, Chad couldn't help himself, and his lips were upon Ryan's, kissing him fiercly, slipping his tongue between the younger boy's lips, fighting for control against Ryan's tongue.


	5. Chapter 5

Ryan brought his hands to Chad's hair, entangling his fingers within the jock's locks, letting himself succomb to Chad's moves. 

He then brought his right hand to Chad's lower back, pushing Chad closer to him, wrapping his right leg around Chad's legs, holding him close, panting against his kisses.

Pressing his right hand against the small of Chad's back, Ryan let out a quiet moan, tangling his left hand further into Chad's brown locks.

Chad pulled away, breathing deeply, swallowing just as deeply.

Ryan realized he had been kneeling to meet Chad's lips, as Chad was bent awkwardly over the counter, and stood straight, blushing brightly.

"I don't know where that came from." Chad said, looking everywhere but at Ryan.

Ryan swallowed, but didn't say anything, licking his lips as if savoring Chad's taste upon them.

Chad reached out to Ryan with his left hand, pulling him forward, kissing him, again.

"Nor do I care." he managed in between kisses.

He slid his right hand to the bottom of Ryan's button down shirt and began unbuttoning it, finding himself fumbling with the button.

Ryan placed his hands on either side of Chad, gripping the edge of the counter so tightly that his pale hands became whiter.

He manuevered himself so that his neck was now the object of Chad's lips, and his thighs were pressed tightly against Chad's own.

Ryan found himself moving against Chad, grinding against him gently, but he also found that Chad was moving, right along with him.

Ryan shivered as Chad ran his right hand atop the skin of his stomach as he moved to unbutton further.

After managing to unbutton to the middle of Ryan's chest, Chad gently pushed Ryan off of him, confusing Ryan.

Chad knelt in front of Ryan and softly kissed at Ryan's stomach, causing him to yet again shiver from delight.

Ryan pulled Chad up by his shoulders and kissed him passionately, smiling as Chad, yet again, knelt in front of Ryan, wrapping his arms around the boy's waist and pulling him close, nipping ever so slightly at Ryan's stomach skin.

Still kissing at his stomach, Chad brough a free hand to the front of Ryan's pants, quickly unbuttoning and unzipping them.


	6. Chapter 6

Ryan arched against Chad as Chad cupped him through his boxers. 

"You like that." Chad stated, more than asked.

Ryan moaned in reply, gripping at Chad's hair as Chad slid his hands around to pull Ryan towards him via his ass, massaging at Ryan's ass tenderly.

Chad brought his right hand around to the front and used that to lower Ryan's jeans just enough that his very erect dick became visible through his red boxers.

Ryan gripped tighter at Chad's hair, trying to push Chad's lips to his dick, but Chad denied him such, and teased him by kissing at his thighs.

"Chad," Ryan moaned, arching as Chad brought his left hand around his dick, slowly bringing it forth in an up and down motion, causing Ryan to lose his breath for a moment as he regained his posture and made himself more available, in position, to Chad, who was looking up at Ryan with a sly smirk upon his features.

"Chad." Ryan repeated himself as Chad began to fasten the pace of his hand, moving from the kneeling position to a standing position, kissing Ryan passionately on the lips, continuing the handjob down south.

Ryan closed his eyes as the world around him began to swarm, losing sight of Chad's teeth nipping at his lower lip, losing sight of the world as he came too quickly.

Arching up against Chad's hand, one last time, Ryan let out a prolonged, and exasperated breath, both pleased, and displeased, at the occurance.

Chad looked down at him, breathing heavily, himself, and smiled brightly.

"Wow." he said meekly, positioning himself so that his thighs were between Ryan's legs, allowing Ryan to rest his head on his right shoulder as the Drama King let himself come back to Earth.

"Indeed." Ryan managed, chuckling slightly.

Chad wrapped his arms around Ryan's back and soothingly caressed the spine.

After a moment's silence, Ryan pulled away from Chad's touch, slightly, looking at him with a frown.

"So, um," he began, "yeah."

Chad nodded, laughing as he repeated Ryan.

"Ryan!" Gabriella exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen, her jaw dropping as she saw the state of Ryan and Chad, entagled in their arms and legs.

Chad flew away from Ryan quicker than Gabriella had ever seen him move.

Gabriella chuckled, covering her mouth with her left hand.

"I'm _so_ sorry to interrupt!" she said bashfully, trying very hard not to laugh loudly.

Ryan blushed as Chad coughed and looked the other way.

"I'm just gonna go, now." Gabriella said quietly disappearing out the way she had come.

At that moment, Chad and Ryan both bust out laughing.


	7. Chapter 7

"At least it wasn't Troy." Ryan stated, laughing as Chad snorted at his statement. 

"You've got a point there." Chad agreed.

After another moment's silence, Ryan spoke, again.

"Yeah, um, where does this leave us?" he asked.

"_Us_?" Chad asked.

Ryan blushed and looked away.

"I like the sound of that." Chad continued, shocking Ryan, who looked up at him through jaded eyes.

"You're gay." Ryan stated.

Chad shook his head.

"Always have been." Chad admitted.

Ryan raised his eyebrows in question.

"What about Taylor?" he questioned.

Chad shrugged.

"There was never an 'us' between Taylor and I." he replied.

As Ryan continued to raise his eyebrows, Chad went further on in his explanation.

"I tried dating her after the musical. I don't know why I bothered. I've _always_ known I was gay." he stated.

He laughed before looking at Ryan.

"I mean, my first crush wasn't Britney Spears, or Amy Joe Johnson from 'The Power Rangers'. It was Troy. My _best friend_." he said compellingly.

Ryan couldn't help but to laugh.

"Oh, God, what is it about Troy?" he questioned.

Chad laughed along with him.

"Not you, too." he teased.

Ryan shrugged.

"He's a gorgeous male." he explained.

Chad nodded in agreement.

There was another moment of silence before either boy spoke again.

"Again, I ask, where does that leave _us_?" Ryan asked.

Chad reached out and took Ryan's hands into his, squeezing them tightly.

"With an _us_. I think that's a start." he promised, leaning in and kissing Ryan softly on the lips, nipping at his lower, swollen, lip before pulling away and pulling his body away from Ryan's.

"I've got to get to work." Chad said.

Ryan rolled his eyes.

"You're already in the kitchen." he reminded him.

Chad gently hit Ryan in the shoulder, causing him to sway, slightly.

"Fulton's got us caddying for Sharpay all this week." Chad replied hastily.

Ryan rolled his eyes at that.

"Of course he does." he hissed.

"What is Sharpay's deal?" Chad questioned eagerly.

"It's all about Troy. Sharpay wants Gabriella out of the picture. And, I'm guessing, she sees the Wildcats as her way to Troy's heart." Ryan replied, looking to the kitchen doors as the staff made their way in to prepare for dinner.

Chad put a good distance between himself and Ryan, grateful that Ryan understood his reasoning.

"Yo, Chad, ready to hit the tees?" Troy said happily, appearing by Chad's side, adorning his new uniform.

Chad only glared at him, anger coursing through his veins.

"Very funny, Troy." he said through gritted teeth, looking to Ryan, who remained glued to his spot, pretending that something interesting was on the floor.

"Ryan." Chad said.

Ryan looked up at Chad, startled.

"Do you know where your sister is teeing off, today?" Chad asked.

Ryan smiled.

"Let me show you." he offered, walking past Chad, bumping their hips together briefly and briskly, and disappearing out the kitchen doors, knowing that Chad was following.

Chad followed Ryan out the main dining room's doors and down a long corridor, having no clue where he was headed, or what he and Ryan were about to do.

Ryan paused in front of a spiraling staircase and bit at his lower lip before turning to Chad.

"You're supposed to be with Sharpay." he pointed out.

Chad shook his head negatively.

"I'm supposed to be with _you_. Tell Fulton I got sick, or something." he shot, nodding towards the staircase and watching Ryan saunter up it, leading him down a long corridor.

"Where the heck do you live, an isolation chamber?" Chad asked as Ryan finally came upon a door and paused in front of it.

Ryan rolled his eyes.

"Close enough." he amended, pushing open the door and allowing Chad to step in before him.

Chad paused in his steps, taking in his surroundings. He had expected Ryan's room to be pink, with movie posters all over the place, but what he found was quite the opposite.

Instead of pink, the walls were a dark brown, and instead of movie posters, there were posters of rock bands and baseball players.

"Don't look so shocked, Chad." Ryan said as he fell to his bed, which was lined with blue silk sheets.

Chad smiled and sat down behind him.

"I just was expecting," he began.

Ryan interrupted him.

"Something else? Pink, perhaps?"

Chad nodded.

"Well, yeah." he replied.

Ryan shrugged.

"The whole pink thing was my sister's idea. A _lot_ of who I am in school comes from that sibling of mine." he admitted.

Chad reached down and took Ryan's slender hands into his.

"You don't have to hide behind her, anymore, Ryan. You've got me, now." he said, leaning in and kissing Ryan softly on the lips, savoring the taste and the touch.

He gently pushed Ryan to the bed and ran his left hand underneath Ryan's polo, softly running it along Ryan's skin, causing Ryan to shiver.

Sliding his tongue between Ryan's lips, Chad brought his left hand to Ryan's hair and ran his fingers through it, loving the way it felt against his fingertips.

He pulled back and rested his head on the palm of his right hand, looking down at Ryan's eyes and smiling.

"What?" Ryan asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Nothing. It's just," Chad began, "You're beautiful." he replied, blushing.

Ryan blushed along with him, his eyes showing great embarrassment.

"Don't blush. It's true, Ryan. You're gorgeous." Chad insisted, chucking Ryan in the jaw softly.

"Oh, this is priceless." Sharpay's voice came from the doorstep.

Ryan and Chad shot up, Ryan quickly attempting to straighten out his clothing, while Chad began pacing by Ryan's dresser.


	8. Chapter 8

"Very priceless. Chad Danforth, _flaming_." Sharpay continued, stepping into the doorframe, crossing her hands over her chest as she chuckled. 

Ryan glared at Sharpay as his breath began to finally steady.

"Shut up, Sharpay." he said softly.

Sharpay's head turned to him and stared daggers at him.

"It's going to be one thing when the Wildcats find out _you're_ gay," she began, turning to Chad, "but _another_ when they find out _**you're**_ gay."

Chad stopped his pacing and turned to Sharpay, anger gleaming in his eyes.

"Do it, then." he screamed.

"The only one that will be hurt is _you_, Sharpay." he hissed.

"If that were the case, Chad Danforth, you would have long ago told your friends. Aren't I right?" Sharpay asked with a false sweetness in her voice.

Chad opened his mouth, but didn't say anything, because he couldn't deny Sharpay.

Sharpay smiled slyly.

"Like I said, _priceless._" she finished, turning on her heels and making her way out the door and down the hall.

Ryan stood and made his way towards Chad, resting his hands on his shoulders.

"Shit." Chad exclaimed after a moment's silence.

Ryan leaned in and wrapped his arms around Chad's waist, holding him tightly against him.

"I'm sorry." he whispered, looking into the mirror that he had on his dresser and catching Chad's eyes.

Chad swallowed deeply before placing his hands atop Ryan's.

"We'll get through this, you and I. _Us_." he promised.

Ryan smiled into the mirror, kissing at Chad's neck tenderly.

At that moment, Sharpay appeared at the door again, not even bothering to knock, as per usual, before walking into Ryan's room.

"Chad, I almost forgot! You're supposed to be caddying for me, today! Wouldn't want Fulton finding out the reason why you're butt isn't on the golf yard, now would you?" she asked as she made her way to Ryan's bed and fell to it, crossing her legs at the knees.

Chad rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh as he pulled himself from Ryan's grasp.

"Sharpay, just shut it, okay? I _really_ don't care if you out me, because, you know what?" he said, pausing for dramatic effect before turning to Sharpay.

"If my friends aren't accepting of who I am, then, maybe, they weren't my friends to begin with." he concluded, crossing his arms across his chest and giving Sharpay a stern, yet confident, look.

Ryan smiled at Chad, proud of his new found confidence.

Sharpay growled low in her throat.

"How _dare_ you." she hissed.

Chad spread his arms out beside him, a questioning look on his face.

"How dare I _what_? Stand up for myself? Stand up for others like me?" he asked, looking to Ryan and crooking his hand towards him in a signal for Ryan to come to his side.

Once Ryan was by Chad's side, Chad wrapped his right arm around Ryan's wasit and brought him in front of him, resting his head on Ryan's.

"Or is it you're afraid that, in outing myself, I'll out Ryan, and then you'll have no one to control? Are you _really_ that much of an Ice Queen, Sharpay?" Chad threatened.

Ryan smiled slyly at Sharpay, raising his eyebrows as if to dare her to speak.

"We'll see how you handle it at school, then, won't we?" Sharpay hissed, standing, making an ungraceful bow, and leaving out the door.

Chad leaned down and kissed Ryan's neck tenderly.

"I have to caddy for the Beast." he said quietly.

Ryan nodded, manuevering so that he was facing Chad, taking his face between the palms of hands.

He wanted so much to say 'I love you', but knew it wasn't time for that.

Chad seemed to understand his turmoil and leaned in, claiming Ryan's lips with his own.

"I have to go. Should I stop by after work?" he asked after they pulled away from each other.

Ryan nodded, sighing as Chad released his hold on him and disappeared out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

He fell atop his bed, a bright smile on his face. Finally, things were falling together. Nothing could go wrong. 

Two months later, the end of summer came, and he and Chad were still going strong, and still going secretly, despite Sharpay's constant threats to expose their relationship.

It was now time for school to begin, and the two had to figure out where their relationship went from there. Were they ready to out themselves to their friends and family?

"I think I'm ready for this." Chad told Ryan, who lie next to him on his bed, his right arm placed atop his chest, as if feeling for his heartbeat.

Ryan looked up at him, almost doe-eyed.

"If you are, that is. I won't do this if you're not ready." Chad amended.

Ryan opened his mouth, but didn't speak.

"You're not ready, are you, Ry?" Chad asked, using the nickname Ryan had come to know and love.

Ryan smiled shyly.

"No, I'm ready. It's just, are _you_ **really**?" he replied in question.

Chad brought his left hand to Ryan's and clasped them together tightly.

"If I don't do this now, I won't do it, ever. It's now, nor never, Ryan." he replied.

Ryan closed his eyes and lay his head on Chad's test, content.

"What if it's a disaster?" he asked, after a moment's silence, suddenly worried about their future.

"Shh. Don't think about that. We've got a full day before anything happens. Just relax. Be with me." Chad insisted, bringing his left hand away from Ryan's hand and to his chin, lifting it towards him, leaning in and kissing Ryan passionately.

He slid his hand from Ryan's chin, downhis chest, and to the button of his jeans, where Ryan arched upwards in ecstasy.

Chad swallowed, wondering if they were ready to take the next step in their relationship. He liked Ryan, a _lot_, and he knew Ryan felt highly of him, but were they ready for this.

Looking down at Ryan, he saw his answer, and pulled his hand back to his chest, where he let it sit, continuing to kiss Ryan.

Ryan pulled away from Chad, moving his body so that he was straddling Chad's chest.

"What are you doing?" Chad asked as Ryan leaned down, gently nipping at the right side of his neck.

Chad moaned in pleasure as Ryan began to suckle on the spot, as if attempting to mark him, claim him as his own. And that only turned Chad on more.

Chad ran his hands up and down the small of Ryan's back, gripping at the ends of his shirt as Ryan's tender nips became more forceful, as they always had when Ryan got into his aggresive moods.

"Ryan." he whispered, craning his neck to the side, further offering his skin to Ryan's lips and teeth.

Ryan pulled back, smiling down at Chad, amazed at how easy he got him worked up.

He winked down at Chad before moving slightly, rubbing he and Chad's crotches together, sliding his hands underneath Chad's tee and caressing the skin beneath it.

Chad let out a hiss as Ryan tweaked his right nipple, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as he did such.

Ryan then quickly slid the shirt over Chad's head, throwing it to the side before taking the tweaked nipple in between his teeth, causing Chad to arch upwards, grinding his crotch against Ryan's.

Ryan let out a groan as his member began it's constraint against his jeans.

He began to breathe heavily as Chad ground against him harder and quicker, causing him to fall against Chad, moving his body along with him.

Ryan couldn't believe that this was all it took for him to near that point of ectasy and release, but he couldn't find it in him to complain as he began to move quicker against Chad, their jeans becoming tighter around themselves.

"Ryan," Chad managed, his breath coming shallowly.

Ryan swallowed, looking down at Chad as they continued to move against each other.

"Stop. If you don't stop, I'm going to," Chad said quietly, throwing his head back as he hit that point of release and felt Ryan reach that point, also.

Falling against Chad's bare chest, Ryan let out a prolonged breath, warming Chad's skin.

Chad brought his hands to Ryan's hair and ran his fingers through it softly.

"That was nice." he said.

Ryan smiled brightly.

"Do you think we're ready for the real thing?" he asked, peering up towards Chad, who only nodded negatively.

"Good." Ryan said, kissing Chad's chest before curling in towards him and closing his eyes, falling asleep with his arms wrapped around Chad, and Chad's wrapped around him.


	10. Chapter 10

The next day, Ryan pulled into school in his new blue mustang, parking at his usual spot next to Sharpay's pink mustang, and pulling the keys out of the ignition, checking his reflection in the rearview mirror, adjusting his hat slightly before smiling and grabbing his bag. 

Jumping out of the car, he landed firmly on his feet and smiled towards the school, glad to be back.

"That's a nice car, stranger. Wanna screw in it?" a voice behind him asked seductively.

Ryan smiled and chuckled as he felt Chad wrap his arms firmly around his waist.

"Good morning, you." Ryan said, reaching behind Chad's head and pulling him in for a kiss.

For a second, the two forgot where they were, and let their passion get the best of them, but the second they remembered that they were in the East High parking lot, they slowly pulled away from each other, leaving a small gap between their bodies.

"It's now or never, Chad. Remember?" Ryan said, holding out his right hand, watching as Chad shakily took it into his left.

Ryan smiled, giving Chad's hand an encouraging squeeze.

"Now or never." Chad said under his breath, letting Ryan lead him to the doors of the school, ignoring the looks of his classmates and fellow students.

Once inside the building, Chad found the courage and strength in him to not only hold hands with Ryan, but to bring Ryan's arm around his own waist, letting others know that this was how it was going to be.

The first person that stopped them in their tracks was Sharpay, who was walking from the end of the long hallway, a shocked look on her face.

"I can't believe it. You take a lot of chances, Danforth." she said, merely passing them by.

Chad could only laugh at her words.

"That was just pitiful." he said as he and Ryan came upon their assigned lockers, which were, ironically, right next to one another.

At that point, Kelsi made her appearance, a bright smile on her face, as she pushed her way in between Ryan and Chad, splitting their conjoined hands.

"Excuse you." Chad sneered.

Ryan gave him a shocked look.

Chad shrugged in response.

"Sorry." he mouthed.

Ryan nodded down to Kelsi.

"Apologize to her, not me." he mouthed back.

Chad rolled his eyes, tapping Kelsi on the shoulder.

Kelsi looked up at him eagerly.

"I'm sorry about the snide remark, Kelsi." he said through gritted teeth.

Kelsi nodded, resuming digging in her locker.

"I have to meet up with Mrs. Darbus in a few seconds, Chad." Ryan said, leaning across Kelsi's now beant body and giving Chad a peck on the lips, pulling back just as Kelsi stood straight.

He nodded towards Chad and walked past him, bumping his hip against Chad's as he did such.

Chad laughed silently.

"That was sweet." Kelsi said, looking up at Chad as she shut her locker.

"Huh? What?" Chad asked.

Kelsi chuckled.

"Don't play innocent with me, Chad. I saw it when you were playing baseball with him. I was just wondering if you had finally made the move or not." she teased.

Chad blushed.

"I just wish others could be as accepting as you." he pointed out.

"I know, Chad. I do, too. But we live in a world where homosexuality is outcast." Kelsi stated.

"I would know." she said under her breath.

Chad's jaw dropped.

"Repeat?" he asked.

Kelsi blushed, biting at her lower lip.

"Chad, I'm a lesbian. There. I said it." she said softly.

Chad opened up his arms and let her make her way into them, hugging her tightly.

"Looks like we've both got a welcoming year ahead of us." he teased back.

Chad looked down at his right wrist, catching the time, and let out a hiss.

"Coach Bolton is going to kill me! I'm late for our first day meet!" he said to Kelsi, who frowned up at him.

"Be careful, Chad." she said as Chad took off the opposite way Ryan had, running towards the gym.


	11. Chapter 11

Upon reaching the locker rooms, he found that only Troy and Jason were in them, both sitting on the benches, somber looks upon their faces. 

"What's up, guys? Where's the team?" Chad asked, leaning against the lockers.

Troy looked up to Chad, his eyes filled with anger and confusion.

"They're not here." he said as if Chad were a two year old needing things explained to him in slow motion.

Chad rolled his eyes.

"Really? I thought, maybe, they were wearing their invisible clothing today." he shot back sarcastically.

He looked towards Jason, who was avoiding eye contact with him.

"What is it, Jason?" Chad pushed.

"They refused to meet." Jason replied.

Chad raised his eyebrow in question.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Troy stood and placed himself in front of Chad.

"News travels fast, Chad. We're the only two willing to be in the same room as the queer jock." he replied.

Chad's jaw dropped as he tried to decide whether to lie, or to stand up for himself and Ryan.

"How did they find out?" he managed.

Jason finally caught Chad's eyes.

"One of the players overheard Sharpay threatening Ryan about his new relationship with 'that jock, Chad'." he told him.

Chad let out a sigh, and then instantly thought of Ryan.

"Don't worry, she wasn't physically threatening him." Troy said, as if reading Chad's mind.

Chad blushed as Troy placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell me? _Us_?" he questioned.

Chad had to laugh at that.

"I really wasn't expecting such an open mind, to be honest." he admitted.

Troy gently hit him on the shoulder with his free hand.

"I'm your best friend, man. How could you expect anything less?" he joked.

Chad looked to Jason, who nodded in agreement.

"But, seriously? Ryan Evans?" Troy asked, letting go of Chad's shoulder.

Chad blushed.

"How'd it start? The baseball game?" Jason asked.

Chad nodded.

"You could say that." he replied solumnly.

After a simple silence, Chad asked the question that he had been harboring within.

"What about the rest of the team? What does this mean for me?"

Troy bit at his lower lip, sharing a quick glance with Jason.

"They want you off the team. They don't want to share the spotlight with a fag." he replied angrily.

Chad shook his head.

"You don't think your dad would take that to heart, would he?" he asked with a deep swallow.

Troy's silence was the only response he needed.

"Look, I think, right now, what you have to do is be there for Ryan. He's sharing the spotlight with you, now. And if Sharpay's threatening him, it probably means he's going to need his boyfriend with him." Jason pointed out.

Chad nodded, his hair bouncing slightly.

"He doesn't exactly know how to stand up for himself. Poor boy." he said simply.

"Go do that. I'll talk to dad. He can't be _that_ stupid." Troy said, opening up his arms for Chad, who took them eagerly, giving his friend a bear hug.


	12. Chapter 12

After he left the locker room, he looked around the halls for Ryan, finding everyone _but_ the boy. 

Slipping into the men's restroom, he found Ryan standing at the window, staring out at the parking lot, which was now empty, as people were rushing to class, the first bell set to ring in a few minutes.

"You okay, Ry?" Chad asked, coming up behind Ryan, sighing when Ryan turned towards him, revealing tear streaked cheeks.

"You've been crying." Chad stated, reaching out and wiping away the tears with the thumb of his right hand.

Ryan sniffled in response, cradling his face against the palm of Chad's hand.  
"Sharpay confronted you, I hear." Chad continued on, jumping so that he was sitting on the ledge of the window, patting the spot by him in a way to show Ryan that he wanted him to sit, too.

"We have to get to class." Ryan said, going to leave.

Chad reached out and took Ryan's hand in his, preventing him from leaving.

"We have to talk." he said sternly.

"The basketball team knows, Ryan." he went on, looking out the window as he caught Jason and Troy walking with the team, their hands flying all over the place as they spoke, hopefully trying to talk them into letting Chad stay on the team.

"How?" Ryan exclaimed, sitting down across from Chad, following his eyesight.

"They heard Sharpay's words to you, earlier." Chad explained, looking back towards Ryan, who caught his eyes and frowned through them.

"Kelsi knows, too." Chad said with a smile.

"Well, that's okay. Kelsi's my friend." Ryan insisted.

"Thankfully, so are Troy and Jason. The team is talking about cutting me from the squad. All because I'm...different." Chad said thoughtfully.

"Oh my God, that's horrible." Ryan said gently, linking his hands with Chad's.

Chad squeezed his hands reaffirmingly.

"I'm not going to let this stop me from coming out. Ryan, I like you, a lot, and I'm not going to let anything, or _anyone_, namely Sharpay, come between us. I don't want to lose you." he spoke.

Ryan blushed as Chad leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Now, come on. We've just barely missed homeroom. I think we're obligated to make it to first period." Chad said, sliding off the windowsill, his hand still linked with Ryan's as they made their way out of the bathroom to an empty hallway, splitting to go to their separate classes.

"I'll see you at lunch." Ryan said, smiling as Chad entered into one room, and he went into another.


	13. Chapter 13

Lunch arrived slowly for the two. As they walked into the cafeteria, and caught sight of each other, they both smiled, practically running towards each other, as if more than four hours had kept them apart. 

They picked a table together and fell onto it next to each other, ignoring the questioning looks of the people around them.

Chad wrapped his right arm around Ryan's shoulders, giving the others a look as if daring them to start something.

"Hey, Chad." Kelsi said, sliding onto the bench across from them, setting a filled tray of food between them.

"Hey, playmaker." Troy said, sitting down next to her, as Jason did the same on the other side of her.

"Kelsi." Jason said softly, admiring Kelsi highly.

Kelsi blushed.

Chad and Ryan shared a look and a silent laugh. They couldn't be the only two who saw that Jason liked Kelsi.

Chad leaned into Ryan's ear.

"She's not his type." he whispered.

Ryan looked at him questioningly.

"She's a lesbian." Chad explained.

Ryan snorted.

"No way." he exclaimed rather loudly.

Chad squeezed his thigh, shaking his head.

"So much for secrets." he teased.

Ryan stuck his tongue out at him.

"Don't make me go after that." Chad threatened with a slight wiggle of his eyebrows.

Troy made a gagging sound.

Chad looked towards Chad, raising his left eyebrow in question.

"Look, I'm all about homosexual equality, but, please, do _not_ make out in front of me. I don't like when _straight_ people do it, let alone you two." Troy teased.

Ryan reached across his plate, grabbed a roll, and threw it at Troy who ducked it with a laugh.

Everything seemed to be going so well. And then Sharpay showed up.

"Well, hello boys. And Kelsi." she said, sitting next to Ryan, as if she had been invited.

"Sharpay," Ryan began, shutting his mouth when Sharpay shot him a look.

"Nevermind." he said, looking down at his food and taking a bite of the roll Chad had placed on his plate to replace the one he had thrown at Troy.

"What can we do for you, Sharpay?" Troy asked through gritted teeth.

"What? I can't eat lunch with my friends?" Sharpay asked innocently.

Chad snorted.

"I didn't know we were friends. I mean, do friends threaten to out their brother's boyfriend to everyone?" he shot back.

Sharpay sneered at him.

"In case you haven't noticed, Sharpay, it's not going to work. Look around you. We're out. _Everyone_ knows." Ryan finally said, looking into Sharpay's eyes as Chad squeezed his waist.

Sharpay only looked at Ryan.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Kelsi dared.

Sharpay merely shook her head and climbed off the bench and sulked away, exiting the cafeteria.

"Awkward." Troy stated as he took a sip of his soda.

"Very." Jason agreed.


	14. Chapter 14

Ryan linked hands with Chad underneath the table, sending a bright smile towards the jock.

"I'm proud of you for standing up to her." Chad whispered, not caring about what Troy said earlier, leaning in and giving Ryan a peck on the lips

Pulling back, he caught Troy's eyes, and found that they were twinkling.

"Oh, shut up." Chad said before Troy could start, causing his fellow athlete to bust out laughing.

Ryan's eyes traveled between Troy and Chad's as confusion hit his features.

"What'd I miss?" he asked.

Jason shrugged.

"Same thing I did, apparently." he replied.

Ryan chuckled.

Chad looked across the cafeteria and saw Taylor and Gabriella enter into it, signalling for them to join the table.

Gabriella slid in next to Troy, and Taylor sat down next to Chad, her eyes settling on Ryan.

"What's he doing here?" she asked quietly.

Chad glared down at her, not knowing what to say.

Gabriella bit at her lower lip, giggling a she remembered her walk in on Chad and Ryan at the Spa.

"What's up, girl? What's got you in giggles?" Troy asked, reaching across his tray to Gabriella's and stealing a fry off her tray.

"Hey!" Gabriella squealed, slapping his hand away.

Troy stuck his tongue out at her teasingly.

"How was your summer, Ryan?" Kelsi asked, breaking the silence Ryan was letting take over.

Ryan shrugged.

"Not so eventful." he lied, ignoring Chad, who tenderly gave him a slap on the knee.

"How about you, Chad? How many girls did you spend your time with?" Taylor teased.

Chad blushed and averted his eyes.

"_That_ many? Well, fine. I see how special I am." Taylor continued on, turning her back to Chad, who let out a sigh.

"No girls, Taylor. No girls." he replied.

Taylor slowly turned back towards Chad.

"_No _girls? I'm shocked." she said softly, ignoring the looks of everyone at the table. Everyone knew she had the biggest crush on Chad.

That was when Chad decided to break the ice.

"I did meet someone, though." he began.

Taylor nodded her head encouragingly.

"What's her name?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Chad licked his lips before replying.

"Ryan."

Taylor narrowed her eyes, not catching on.

"Chad, that sounds suspiciously like a male's name." she commented.

Chad let out a sigh before standing and taking his place next to Ryan, holding out his hand, into which Ryan looked up at him with a look a love on his face.

Ryan took the offered hand and, using it as leverage, stood, smiling as Chad wrapped his arms around his neck, playing with the ends of his hair.

"I'm all in." he said, bringing his hands around to Ryan's face, cupping his chin with one, and caressing the area between the neck and chin with the other, leaning in and giving him a passionate kiss in front of everyone in the cafeteria, into which, every pair of eyes was now on them.

Taylor just stared at them, her jaw dropped, her eyes wide.

Gabriella scooted towards Taylor.

"Are you okay?" she asked, referring to Taylor's Chad-Crush.

Taylor shook her head, jumping off the bench and running out of the cafeteria.

"Taylor!" Gabriella exclaimed, sharing a sympathetic glance with Troy, and then Chad and Ryan, sliding off the benches and running after Taylor.

Chad blinked, pulling himself further away from Ryan.

"What the hell?" he asked, gearing his questions towards Troy and Jason.

"Dude, she's had the biggest crush on you since the end of last year. I didn't think you were going to show her, let alone _tell_ her." Troy replied.

Chad looked to Ryan, who nodded.

"Go. She needs to talk to you." Ryan said somberly.

Chad smiled, leaning in and kissing Ryan, again, dashing out of the cafeteria, glancing back to see Ryan watching him leave, a worried look upon his face, almost as if he were worried he might lose Chad to Taylor.


	15. Chapter 15

He found Taylor resting against the nearest set of lockers, Gabriella with her, soothing her by caressing her shoulders. 

Gabriella saw that Chad was coming up, and let go of Taylor, despite her protests.

"You two need to talk." Gabriella explained, disappearing out of sight.

Chad walked closed to Taylor, reaching down to take her hands in his, but she only pulled away.

"Chad, how _could_ you?" she hissed.

Chad shrugged his shoulders listlessly.

"How could I _what_, Taylor? Fall in love?" he asked, regretting the use of the word 'love'.

Taylor only looked at him with further shock.

"Love? Chad," she began, stopping when Chad threw out his arms, blocking her against the lockers.

"Chad, I've liked you for _so_ long. How could you do this to me?" she asked fearfully.

"I didn't know, Taylor. Even so, I'm gay. It's not you. You're a beautiful woman, Taylor McKinsee, but you're just _not my type_." Chad said sternly.

Taylor closed her eyes, attempting to hide the tears, but failed.

Chad pulled away, reaching out with his right hand and wiping away the now falling tears.

"It's just not right. Chad, you _can't_ be gay." Taylor said in a denying tone.

Chad shook his head, growling low in his throat.

"Taylor, I'm gay. I'm a fag. A pillow biter. Come at me with them all. They _all_ apply. And, yes, I'm with Ryan Evans. We've been together _two months_." he said through gritted teeth.

Taylor closed her eyes again, cradling her face against the palm of Chad's hand, reaching up with her left hand and pushing it away.

"I'm sorry, Chad. I just can't be near you, right now." she said somberly, sucking in a breath and taking a steady walk away from Chad.

Chad watched her go, not noticing Ryan come up behind him, not noticing Ryan wrap his arms around him, not noticing Ryan comforting him, the roles now reversed.

Doubts flooded Chad's mind. _Is this what it's going to be like? Am I going to lose friends, left and right, just because I'm gay? Do I want to through this? Is it worth it? Is __**Ryan**__ worth it?_

He looked down at the arms wrapped around him and smiled.

_He's so worth it_.


	16. Chapter 16

He maneuvered so that he was facing Ryan and pulled him close, kissing at his neck, and then resting his chin upon his shoulder, gripping at him tightly. 

"I didn't mean to hurt her." Chad commented with a sniffle.

Ryan ran his hands tenderly along Chad's lower back.

"I know. She knows that. Give it time." he suggested.

Chad kissed at Ryan's neck, again, pulling back and finding himself easily lost in the blonde's gorgeous blue eyes.

He sniffled again, laughing as Ryan reached out to wipe away a tear that he let slip.

"I don't think I'm ready to do this." Chad stated, caressing against the palm of Ryan's hand.

Ryan didn't say anything, only reaching up and took Chad's hand in his.

"Come on. We have to finish lunch, and then the day." he said somberly, leading a reluctant Chad into the cafeteria and to their table, letting him sit before sliding in next to him, his hand landing on his thigh.

"You okay, Chad?" Troy asked, at the same time Kelsi inquired about Taylor.

Chad only shrugged in response.

Ryan bit at his lower lip.

"It's just hard for him, for _us_, Troy. Not everyone is as accepting as you lot are." he replied, frowning as he felt Chad push his hand away from his thigh.

"Chad?" he questioned, looking down at Chad, who's face was flat, no expression upon it.

"Just eat." Chad hissed, reaching to his tray and bringing a fry to his mouth, ignoring Ryan's glare.

"Chad." Ryan whispered, sharing a glance with Troy, who shrugged.

"I'm not hungry anymore." he said, pushing his tray away from him, letting out a long sigh.

"You need to eat, Ry." Chad said softly.

Ryan shook his head.

"Chad, I can't eat when my boyfriend is _snapping_ at me." he snarled.

Chad rolled his eyes, unaware at how quickly his anger was making it's appearance, unaware at how brutally known his anger was going to make itself.

"I'm _not_ snapping at you!" he exclaimed, snapping his head towards Ryan.

"Oh? Then what do you call _this_?" Ryan asked, spreading his hands out in front of him, towards Chad.

"Chad, I _know_ this is hard. Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I'm scared, too? But I'm not taking my anger out on my boyfriend!" Ryan continued, sliding out of the bench.

"You are not walking away from me!" Chad exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing Ryan's left forearm, twisting the boy towards him.

"Ow!" Ryan shrieked, attempting to pull away from Chad.

"In the hallway. Now." Chad said angrily, pushing Ryan towards the cafeteria exit, slamming him against the nearest wall of lockers, ignoring the footsteps and voices of Troy and Jason, ignoring their strong arms wrapping around him, attempting to pull him away from Ryan.

"You do _not_ walk away from me when I'm talking!" Chad screamed, pushing Ryan harder against the lockers.

Ryan whimpered as Chad pushed Troy and Jason away from him, and gripped at Ryan's arms.

"Chad." Ryan cried out, attempting to push away the pain, attempting not to envision the bruises that would be left.

"I knew you weren't ready." Ryan said strongly.

Chad looked down at him, his nostrils flaring.

"You lied to me when you said you were. You lied to me when you said you were all in. You lied to me." Ryan continued, finally managing to struggle out of Chad's grasp, pushing him away, and into Troy and Jason's hold.

"How am I to know that you're not lying about wanting to be with me? How am I to trust you _now_? I thought it was 'now or never', Danforth. You can't have it both ways!" Ryan shouted, his chest heaving on account of his deep breaths.

"How am I to know that you want me as much as you say? So far, I've heard nothing but lies from you!" Ryan said in a completed tone, still breathing heavily.

Troy wrapped his arm around Chad's chest, holding him steady, preparing to jump in if Chad moved towards Ryan.

A small crowd had formed around the four of them, including Sharpay, Gabriella, Taylor, and Kelsi.

As if coming out of a trance, Chad's eyes showed sadness in the way they once showed anger.

He looked to Ryan, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth.

Troy looked past Chad's hair to Ryan, who was standing in the middle of the crowd, confusion, anger, and fear gleaming in his eyes.

"Chad, you swore you'd not let this happen, again." Troy said, gripping at Chad's chest even tighter.

Chad fell to the ground with Troy still wrapped around him, sobbing.

"I don't know what happened. I have no clue what happened." he cried out, letting Troy further wrap his arms around him.

Ryan looked down at Troy, his eyes wide.

Troy shook his head, mouthing, 'Now is not the time'.

Ryan laughed.

"Now is _so_ the time, Bolton. I don't care _how_ many people there are around us. If you know something about my _boyfriend_, I need to know." he sneered.

Troy shared a look with Chad, who nodded, and then looked everywhere but at Ryan as he wiped his face against the sleeve of his shirt.

"Not here. Not with all these people here." Chad insisted.

Troy nodded, coming out of his crouch, reaching down to Chad, and helping him to stand.

"I've got the key to the band room." Kelsi said in a small voice.

Sharpay made her way towards Ryan, touching him on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze, surprising not only him, but Troy, also.

"I'll cover for you in Theater." she said.

Ryan smiled slightly.

"Thanks." he whispered.

Sharpay leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm so sorry. For everything I've ever," she began.

Ryan shook his head.

"No. Sharpay, just, stop. We'll figure us out later, okay?" he insisted.

Sharpay nodded, sharing a sympathetic glance with Kelsi before making her way towards Chad.

She stood firm in front of him, her hands on her hips.

"If I see you left a mark on his arms, I will hunt you down, and beat you senseless." she said, shoving past him.

Troy, Chad, and Ryan, all avoiding each other, followed Kelsi into the band room, thanking her as she left them to their privacy, linking arms with Jason and pulling him away.


	17. Chapter 17

Chad sat down on one side of the room, Troy took his seat beside him, and Ryan stood on the other side of the room, pacing. 

"Who's going to tell me what's going on here?" Ryan asked, pausing in his steps and staring at Troy and Chad.

Troy and Chad both spoke at once.

"I will."

Chad laughed, despite it all.

"Chad." Ryan said sternly.

Chad closed his eyes and let Troy run his hands along his back.

"Ryan, sometimes my anger gets the best of me." he began.

"It's almost like I black out. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what I'm saying. I don't care." he went on.

Ryan came to kneel in front of him, reaching out and taking his hand in his own.

Chad squeezed it, but kept his eyes shut.

"I was on medication for it, a while. But then I just stopped needing them. Everything seemed fine. And then I lost it when, when," he went on, taking in a breath, "I hit Troy."

Ryan looked up to Troy, and saw that Troy was still rubbing at Chad's back encouragingly.

"Fuck, I didn't just _hit_ him, Ry. I pummeled him." Chad corrected himself.

"Why?" Ryan asked.

Chad opened his eyes and shrugged.

"That's the thing. I don't even remember." he replied.

"I do." Troy spoke.

Ryan and Chad both looked to Troy.

"It was when I asked you if you were gay." Troy explained.

"Oh, God." Ryan gasped.

"I don't remember that. I don't remember you asking me that." Chad stuttered.

"Chad, I think that's a big part of it. Your sexual orientation has always been a topic you've avoided, and every time you touch it, your anger flares up." Troy suggested.

Chad closed his eyes, letting out a weep, pushing Ryan's hands away.

"Then that just proves I'm not ready for this!" he exclaimed.

Ryan grabbed at his hands, despite his protests.

"Ryan, I can't be with you if I'm only going to hurt you." Chad continued on, no longer attempting to pull away.

Ryan shook his head.

"No. No, Chad, we're in this together. _Together_." he repeated.

Chad looked at Ryan, taking in his expression.

"I'll help you through this. Chad, please. Please don't do this." Ryan muttered.

"I'm sorry, Ryan. But I can't do this. Not now. Not when I am like this." Chad replied, pushing himself to a standing position and quickly leaving the band room, ignoring Ryan's protests.

Ryan watched him go, his eyes wide, tears streaming down his face.

When he lost it, his screams could be heard throughout the school, and even when Troy wrapped his arms around him, and comforted him as he had Chad, he knew that he had lost a part of himself, and that he was no longer the Ryan Evans that he had once been.


	18. Chapter 18

The rest of the day passed quickly, and when Ryan walked out to his car to leave, he saw that Sharpay was standing next to it, his favorite stuffed animal, CowPig, in her hands. 

Ryan blushed as he made his way towards his sister, who held out the animal towards him.

"Ryan," Sharpay began, pausing when Ryan wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't, sis. We'll work it. Me and you." he promised.

"I only did it because I was scared." Sharpay explained.

Ryan pulled back, linking their hands together.

"Scared of what, Shar?" he asked.

Sharpay sharply looked away from him.

"Scared that if you came out, it'd be time for me to do the same." she replied.

Ryan's jaw dropped.

"Wait, what?" he questioned as the pieces came together in his mind.

"Ryan, I'm bisexual. I gave you a hard time because I was scared at what would happen if everyone found out about you. I was scared about what would happen if it was _me_." Sharpay replied.

Ryan chuckled, squeezing CowPig against Sharpay's hand.

"And, I swear, Ry, I will kick Chad's ass if he hurts you." Sharpay promised.

Ryan shook his head.

"Shar, I think this is something he has to deal with alone. He has anger issues, sis. He broke up with me." he said softly.

Sharpay growled low in her throat.

"No, Shar. I think this is how it is meant to be. It's not permanent. It's just until he sorts himself out." Ryan lied.

Sharpay released his hands and pulled open the door to his Mustang.

"I'll see you at home, little bro." she said, hopping into her Mustang, starting the ignition, backing out of the parking spot, and peeling out of the parking lot.

Ryan slid into his car, and just as he started it, he caught sight of Chad climbing into Troy's BMW.

He let out a sigh and quickly started his car, following Sharpay's path out of school.

As he drove along the highway that lead to his house, he found himself passing the exit he needed to take to return home.

He ignored his cell phone, the ringtone signalling that it was Sharpay, reaching over and turning it off, returning his eyes to the road in front of him.

He looked into his rearview mirror, and realized that he had been crying.

"God help me." he whispered as he reached into his car's console and pulled out a kleenex, looking back into the mirror and wiping away his tears.

He didn't see the eighteen wheeler driving on the wrong side of the road.

He didn't see the bright lights of the truck shining into his window.

He didn't see the truck slide to the opposite lane.

Most of all, he didn't see the curve of the road, and the forest that came at him.

The last thing he saw was what was in his mind.

The last thing he saw was Chad.

And then he saw nothing at all.


	19. Chapter 19

When he came to, he realized he was no longer in his car, driving on the freeway past his house. 

He groaned as he tried to sit up, pain shooting through his upper body.

After pulling himself to a full sitting position, he steady himself against the back of what he now knew was a hospital bed.

"What the hell happened?" he thought, bringing his hands to his face, eyes widening at how damaged they looked.

"It's not as bad as it seems, Mr. Evans." a voice came from across the room.

Ryan had to squint his eyes in attempt to focus on the figure.

"I'm Dr. Lloyd. I've been your outpatient MD since your accident." the figure explained as it came to sit in the chair next to Ryan's bedside.

"My accident?" Ryan questioned, not realizing that he hadn't said the words, so much as mouthed them letting his hands fall to the bed.

"You don't remember the incident, Mr. Evans?" Dr. Lloyd asked, peering down at the chart he held in his hands.

Ryan closed his eyes, attempting to remember the occurance.

After a moment of agitation, and no luck, he opened his eyes and looked at Dr. Lloyd with a shrug.

"We don't know the full of it, but your body was ejected from your Mustang, in the wooded hills near Exit Fifty, which takes you out of beautiful New Mexico. Your car, as we think, slid off the roadway, and into the forest, where it hit a rare RedWood, and, as we found out, you weren't wearing your seatbelt, and you were thrown through the windshield. We found your body lying across the hood of the engine, Mr. Evans. You're quite lucky to have surived." Dr. Lloyd explained.

Throughout this story, Ryan had remained silent, and, now, he found the silence came from his inability to speak.

It was then Ryan realized he had no voice.

He began to panic, breathing heavily, clawing at his throat, as if attempting to pull his vocal chords from his body, in an attempt to fix them.

"Mr. Evans! Mr. Evans!" Dr. Lloyd exclaimed, reaching out and pulling Ryan's arms from his throat, holding them at the boy's side.

"My voice." Ryan mouthed.

"Mr. Evans, please, calm down." Dr. Lloyd soothed, still holding his hands against Ryan's forearms as Ryan twisted and turned, and thrashed about.

Ryan stilled, allowing Dr. Lloyd to let go of him.

"You lost your voice in the accident, Mr. Evans. We're not quite sure the 'how' of it, but we think that it was from when you were thrown through the windshield. Your throat was, and is, very scratched up. We had to pull glass from your throat, and that is how we think you lost the use of your voice." Dr. Lloyd explained.

Ryan blinked, shaking his head, refusing to believe the surgeon.

"How long have I been here?" Ryan asked.

Dr. Lloyd frowned before answering.

"It's been two months, Mr. Evans. You were in a coma for two months. We weren't certain you were going to come out of it."

Ryan opened his mouth to scream, but heard only air preceed his throat.

"Two months. Two months." he mouthed, thinking back to the last time he had seen Chad, the last time he had talked to Sharpay.

"You've had a fair share of visitors, Mr. Evans. Your sister rarely leaves your side, except when it comes to school. And there's one dashing young fellow that comes to your bedside, at the end of every day, and holds your hands, talking to you." Dr. Lloyd spoke.

Ryan looked up at him.

"Who is it?" he asked.

Dr. Lloyd's answer surprised him.

He was sure it had been Chad Dr. Lloyd was talking about.

But when Dr. Lloyd's reply was 'Troy Bolton', Ryan feared the answer to his next question.

"Has Chad Danforth been in here?"

Dr. Lloyd's reply sent him over the edge.

"No, I'm afraid Mr. Bolton and your sister are the only ones who have stayed by your side faithfully. You _have_ had other classmates attend to you, though."

Ryan gripped at the edge of his bed, sending pain through his burnt hands, but he didn't care.

"Mr. Evans, I really don't want to have to restrain you again." Dr. Lloyd whispered as he stood.

Ryan's eyes shot towards the Dr.

"Again?" he asked.

Dr. Lloyd nodded.

"When our nurses brought you in here, one of them saw bruises on your forearms, ones that couldn't have been from the accident, and she went to examine them, and you fought so hard. You refused to steady, so we had to restrain you." he replied.

Ryan swallowed, ignoring the pain that followed doing such.

"Don't make me do it again, Mr. Evans." Dr. Lloyd said pleadingly.

Ryan forced himself to calm down, surprised at how easy it was.

He figured it was because of the medicine they had running through the IV attached to his right arm.


	20. Chapter 20

here was a knock at the hospital room door and a young nurse walked in.

"Dr. Lloyd, Mrs. Evans is here." she informed the doctor, moving to the side to allow Sharpay to walk in.

Sharpay's eyes widened as she saw Ryan, wide awake, sitting up on his bed.

"Ryan!" she exclaimed, running towards him, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"Ow." Ryan mouthed, despite knowing that Sharpay couldn't hear him.

Sharpay clutched his cheeks between the palms of her hands and kissed him on the forehead, the nose, and then his chin, pulling away, smiling.

"I was scared you'd never wake up." she said tearfully.

Ryan reached up and squeezed her hands together, smiling back at her.

When he didn't say anything, Sharpay looked down at him, a frown on her face.

"What's wrong? Ryan?" she asked.

Ryan opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

"He can't talk, Mrs. Evans." Dr. Lloyd spoke up.

Sharpay slowly turned her head to face the doctor, feeling Ryan wrap his arms around her, as if holding her back.

"He lost the use of his voice in the accident." Dr. Lloyd stated with a sympathetic smile.

Sharpay turned back to Ryan, her eyes wide again.

"Your beautiful voice. Oh my God, Ryan." she said, leaning into his chest, pulling him close.

At that moment, the nurse who had brought Sharpay in, brought Troy in.

"Mr. Bolton." Dr. Lloyd said, taking his leave, leaving Troy, Sharpay, and Ryan to themselves.

"Hey, man. How you doin'?" Troy asked, smiling as Ryan opened his arms and let Troy walk into them, surprised at the affection Ryan was able to share.

"He can't talk, Troy." Sharpay croaked.

Troy looked down at Sharpay, frowning.

"He lost his voice in the accident." Sharpay mimicked the doctor.

Troy looked at Ryan and shook his head.

"Man, that blows. I'm so sorry." he said.

Ryan shrugged, blowing it off.

"Where's Chad?" he mouthed.

Troy took a second to understand what he was mouthing, and when he did, he remained silent.

"He hasn't been to see you." Troy replied.

Ryan looked at him, his posture saying, "Really? Duh."

"He and I lost touch with each other, Ryan. After the accident, after he found out, he was gone. He hasn't been the same Chad. He's been quiet, and somber, and, every once and a while, he has one of his fits, and has to be taken from the courts to the nurses office. He hasn't hurt anyone. Yet." Troy continued on.

Ryan swallowed, gripping at Sharpay's hands.

"I wish he had come to see you, Ryan. He misses you." Troy said softly.

Ryan rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, right." he mouthed.

"He does, Ryan. I could see it in his eyes. When he broke up with you, that was the _last_ thing he wanted to do. And when I told him about your accident, he went straight from knowledge to denial. Anytime we talk about it, anytime your name is brought up, he shuts himself out. He needs you, Ryan. Which is why I don't understand why he hasn't come to be with you." Troy said, sliding on the opposite side of Sharpay, who was now lying against Ryan, her arm wrapped around his waist, and rested his head on the palm of his right hand.

"I'm really sorry about your voice, Ryan." he said tenderly, clasping his hand around Sharpays, which rested on Ryan's chest.

He then cautiously lay his head next to Sharpay's on Ryan's chest, letting out a breath that warmed Ryan's skin.

Ryan didn't question anything. He only let Sharpay and Troy be there for him, almost using them as a crutch, a replacement for Chad's nonarrival.


End file.
